INSTITUTE, PUSA, FOR 1917-18 53 



"I should like to add that when I came to Central 

 India I was told by every one that the cultivators had been 

 brought to the verge of ruin by the cessation of poppy 

 cultivation and that what was wanted was a crop to 

 replace opium. A good yield of opium is *) seers an acre, 

 which at Rs. 7 gives Rs. 63. Pusa 4 with a yield of only 

 15 maunds at Rs. 5 gives Rs. 75. The cost of production 

 of wheat too is lower than poppy, the former taking three 

 waterings at most, while the latter takes seven. The 

 cultivators too declare that this wheat pays them better 

 than poppy and they prefer it." 



On the old poppy lands, Pusa 4 has passed the experi - 

 mental stage and seed distribution is now in progress under 

 Mr. Coventry's direction. 



On the barani wheat areas of the plateau, however, 

 Pusa 4 and similar types while producing good samples of 

 grain have not shown any superiority over the local 

 macaroni wheats. The contrast between the manner of 

 growth of Pusa 4 on irrigated and on dry land was so great 

 that it seemed certain that some other factor besides 

 moisture was operative. On irrigated well lands, Pusa 4 

 tillers well, throws up taU, strong straw with long ears and 

 large fine grain even better than that obtained on the 

 Gangetic alluvium. The crop seems entirely at home ami 

 there is no trace of rust. On the dry areas, however, even 

 after late rains and with abundant sub-soil moisture the 

 ears are small, the straw weak and the crop easily lodges. 

 The variety is hardly recognizable when grown under these 

 conditions. These differences were found to be of a 

 botanical nature and to be associated with root develop- 

 ment. On the poppy lands under irrigation, the secondary 

 roots develop well and the crop maintains itself largely on 

 this system. Under barani conditions, practically no 

 secondary roots are produced and the plant has to do its 

 best on the primary system. Macaroni wheats when grown 

 on the barani areas behave in the same way and rarely 

 produce secondary roots, but here the first root system as 

 well as the first internode are much more strongly developed 



